Palm fronds tell UAE’s story at Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai

Sharjah 24 – WAM: In a unique visual spectacle embodying the fusion of heritage and innovation, the UAE pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka-Kansai rises in the form of an enchanting forest of wooden columns, an architectural masterpiece constructed from over two million palm fronds gathered from across the Middle East and North Africa, narrating a tale of inspiration from the symbol of generosity and resilience in Emirati culture.

"Earth to Ether" design concept

The pavilion's design, themed “Earth to Ether”, comprises 90 towering wooden columns, each reaching 16 meters in height, forming a visual forest that celebrates sustainability and human innovation, seamlessly blending traditional Emirati craftsmanship with refined Japanese carpentry techniques.

Recycled materials with cultural significance

The facades of this national edifice are adorned with recycled date pits, presenting the world with a unique Emirati vision that combines authenticity, sustainability, and architectural imagination, utilising approximately two tonnes of this renewable material in the design of the pavilion and its entrances. This reflects the significance of the palm tree not only as a symbol of Emirati identity, but also as a building material that is renewed and reshaped to tell the story of a nation reinventing its heritage with a spirit of the future.

Eco-friendly innovation and materials

Shaikha Al Ketbi, UAE Pavilion Creative Director, Deputy Commissioner General of the Pavilion, told the Emirates News Agency (WAM), that the pavilion's design is based on the recycling of natural materials directly related to the local environment. She highlighted the use of innovative, eco-friendly material such as "Datecrete" for flooring in the pavilion's entrance, a sustainable alternative to cement made from ground date pits, a purely Emirati innovation.

She also shed light on the "Date Form" material, developed from palm and date waste, which was used in designing various elements of the pavilion.

International collaboration behind the design

Al Ketbi explained that the pavilion's design is the result of a creative collaboration between Emirati, Japanese, and international multidisciplinary companies within the “Earth to Ether” group. This collaboration integrated diverse expertise in architecture, engineering, technology, carpentry, and design, under the supervision and leadership of the Expo UAE Team. The Group successfully merged creative partners, including the Italian company Raymond, Atelier Brückner, Ro'ya, and the global studio SLA.

Cultural harmony through landscape

The natural spaces of the UAE pavilion have been designed to reflect a harmonious cultural dialogue. The Japanese "Satoyama" forests, with their oak and red pine trees adorning the facade, represent the harmonious coexistence between nature and humans. Visitors enjoy the shade of the Pergola roof, made from Japanese cedar wood and shaded with patterns of Emirati "Khoos," a traditional art of weaving palm fronds.